The VICE Guide to Wabi-Sabi Design and Decor

Chances are, you’ve seen a hot person on the subway reading Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers. Perhaps you’ve even cracked open a copy of Leonard Koren’s design bible at a bookstore, or in one of those minimalist coffee shops where the mugs are all beautiful hand-thrown pottery (and are impossible to hold). Regardless of how your wabi-sabi design curiosity has been piqued, we’re going to dive into the fundamentals of the popular Japanese aesthetic so that you can turn your home into a relaxing, wabi-sabi retreat. 

The roots of wabi-sabi are rooted in Zen Buddhism, as well as a 16th-century Japanese legend about a dude who raked his tea master’s garden to perfection, but decided to embellish his masterpiece with a haphazard arrangement of cherry blossoms by shaking a few petals off of a nearby tree. Therein lies the key to wabi-sabi: imperfection. 

Wabi-sabi design favors raw, natural materials and a minimalist ethos. As Koren writes, “wabi-sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else. Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view.” Therefore, he concludes, wabi-sabi is “an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace.” We have two takeaways from that credo: Koren should have been a Deadhead, and wabi-sabi is basically the Japandi design equivalent of “fuck around and find out.”

Do you have cracks in your stoneware pottery, and a jute rug with slightly frayed edges? That’s wabi-sabi; do you yearn for an antique wood stool, or a coffee table that’s a slab of stone? Wabi-sabi, baby. At once time-worn and minimalistic in its design—another of Koren’s mottos is “Get rid of all that is unnecessary”—the best pieces of wabi-sabi design should make your home feel lived-in, clean, and above all, like an aesthetic Xanax.

So put that ASMR zen garden video on loop, and let’s wabi your sabi. 

An earthy, comfy couch 

We spend 110% of our time on our couch, so it better be comfortable. This AllModern sofa is a bestseller on Wayfair, where the sales are currently piping hot for our favorite non-bank—yet deeply spiritual holiday—Way Day. It can be hard to strike the perfect colorway balance with earthy couches, but this sofa’s hue is the perfect blend of oxblood and loamy soil, in the chicest way possible. 

Long live the chofa, aka the lovechild of a plush couch and a statement chair. This swivel-capable chofa comes in a terracotta colorway that will look great next to your plants, and it has an impressive 4.7-star average rating on Amazon. 

Put it in the garden (it’s weather-proof) or make it your nightstand; use it as a footstool, or as an altar for worshiping the troll deity of your choice. Whatever you do with this rustic stump stool, know that it will make your life feel 10,000 times more pastoral goblincore-wabi-sabi. 

A Noguchi-style lamp

Roll out the hemp carpet for the GOAT’d king of wabi-sabi lighting, Isamu Noguchi, and the many Japanese rice paper-inspired lamps that have come in the wake of his design legacy. A study in form and mood, the late artist’s lamps were veritable light sculptures, and damn, do they look sexy on our nightstands. An archive Noguchi lamp can cost thousands of clams, but an alternative from Amazon such as this costs less than an irresponsible steakhouse dinner.

Mirrors are cool because they’re portals for ghosts. Who doesn’t love an asymmetrical mirror? They’re fuego for selfies, and way more interesting-looking than a rectangular mirror (you’re no square!) in your living room.

Remember, wabi-sabi is about doing more with less, so keep a minimalist mindset when looking for rugs. West Elm is home to so many handsome, rustic runners and subtly earthy rugs, including this vintage-inspired green rug, which blends durable wool with soft, subtly shiny viscose.

If you’re on a wittle wabi-sabi budget, a jute rug is always going to be one of the most affordable, yet elevated choices for your home. Not only will the natural, plant-based material add texture to your living room, but it’s very forgiving of pet hair. 

What could be more wabi-sabi than sipping your tea out of a massive, basketball-sized rock with a hole in it? OK, maybe don’t do that with this decorative riverstone bowl (but if you do, send us a pic?)

Is it fair that this Japanese teapot has more effortless personality and class than most of the people we’ve dated? No, but it’s life. Peak wabi-sabi sippin’ right here, kings. 

…Because it kind of looks like the Forest Spirit from Princess Mononoke. One end of this abstract wood table boasts a single stump for support, while the other is upheld by antler-esque legs. It’s a splurge at over $900, but it’s the kind of table that will be perfect for hosting dinner parties, crafting, and working from home with plenty of space.  

Next up? We’re upgrading your plants for spring. 

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.